Buzz Factor

The most-read stories on FCW.com in the past two weeks

By Michael Hardy

Nov 05, 2010

Federal vs. private pay: The latest take on who makes moreSummary: A survey showed feds get paid less than private-sector counterparts in similar jobs.Outlook: Federal salaries ranked an average of 2.1 percent less than private firms in this study, but other stories (see below) found different results.

Air Force lab finds a simple way to support teleworkSummary: The Air Force discovers that an existing tool, Lightweight Portable Security (LPS), can create the trusted endpoints needed to allow telework. Outlook: As telework becomes more common, the military and other agencies will encounter situations in which security is a sticking point. LPS might provide a solution in some cases.

Big telework savings trump butts in the seatsSummary: At a recent conference, government leaders said telework needs to spread rapidly. Outlook: The Office of Personnel Management says managers are starting to get with the program. Will they move faster now?

The next big contracting scandalSummary: A set-aside program for businesses owned by service-disabled veterans is ripe for abuse.Outlook: Based on reader comments, the story struck a nerve. Some said we were unfairly stigmatizing veterans, while others opposed the whole concept of set-asides.

Feds paid at least $1B to dead peopleSummary: A Republican lawmaker published a study purporting to show a pattern of fraud and carelessness in payments from government benefits programs.Outlook: The Obama administration has pledged to eliminate billions of dollars in improper payments in two years.

Google sues Interior over cloud RFQSummary: After months of unsuccessfully trying to persuade the Interior Department to allow it to compete on a contract, Google has taken the agency to court. Outlook: If Google wins, it could be more difficult for agencies to limit competition in the future.

FCW investigated efforts by the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to improve a joint data repository on military and veteran suicides. Something as impersonal and mundane as incomplete datasets could be exacerbating a national tragedy.